A Bergen County freeholder work session with no agenda turned into a bare-knuckle partisan debate Wednesday as the board dove into the swiftly unfolding scandal over the alleged use of traffic jams at the George Washington Bridge as a form of political payback against Fort Lee's Democratic mayor.

Democratic freeholders pilloried County Executive Kathleen Donovan, a Republican, for what they decried as "122 days of absolute silence" on controversy surrounding the involvement of Governor Christie's appointees in instigating four days of traffic jams with the closing of two lanes in Fort Lee.

"Kathe Donovan's silence has been troubling, and I am now more skeptical than ever on the reason," Freeholder Vice Chairwoman Joan Voss, a Fort Lee resident, said, reading from a prepared statement. "For her and her office to recently dismiss all inquiries as ridiculous shows the county executive is out of touch on the issue."

County Administrator Ed Trawinski told the board that Donovan wanted the investigation into the incident to run its course before making a statement.

"She shares Governor Christie's outrage that he was misled by a member of his staff," Trawinski said.

"But the county executive doesn't run the Port Authority," he added, addressing the Democrats. "Kathe Donovan is not going to participate in the political witch hunt that all of you want to create."

On Wednesday afternoon, Christie issued a statement, saying he was "outraged," and that the "unsanctioned conduct was made without my knowledge."

Trawinski said the administration was unaware of the traffic jams until they read about the situation in The Record on Sept. 13, the same day the lanes were reopened.

That led James Tedesco, the newest Democratic freeholder, to ask why the administration didn't know about the problem sooner.

"This is just an example of why the county leadership didn't show leadership."

Tedesco noted that he spoke out in November as a freeholder candidate and asked questions of the Port Authority board, but failed to get answers.

But Donovan's chief of staff, Jeanne Baratta, said Donovan's past experience as a Port Authority commissioner taught her that there was a process to follow while an investigation is under way.

"This is the difference between politicians and public servants," Baratta said of the Democrats' criticism. "Politicians like to bloviate and that's what we witnessed today. Public servants want to do the business of the people."

Democratic Freeholder Steve Tanelli suggested that the board consider what had happened the next time they are asked to vote on a contract for the law firm that includes David Samson, the chairman of the Port Authority.

Trawinski warned that taking such an action against a qualified law firm could backfire on the freeholders.

"We would expose the taxpayers to another lawsuit," Trawinski warned Tanelli, later adding, "But freeholder, if you want to expose the county to liability. ..."

As recently as last week, the board had mulled a resolution expressing its concerns over the lane closures. But on Wednesday, events overtook that effort.

Republican Freeholder John Felice urged the board to be prudent in finding a way to express itself on the issue.

A Bergen County freeholder work session with no agenda turned into a bare-knuckle partisan debate Wednesday as the board dove into the swiftly unfolding scandal over the alleged use of traffic jams at the George Washington Bridge as a form of political payback against Fort Lee's Democratic mayor.

Democratic freeholders pilloried County Executive Kathleen Donovan, a Republican, for what they decried as "122 days of absolute silence" on controversy surrounding the involvement of Governor Christie's appointees in instigating four days of traffic jams with the closing of two lanes in Fort Lee.

"Kathe Donovan's silence has been troubling, and I am now more skeptical than ever on the reason," Freeholder Vice Chairwoman Joan Voss, a Fort Lee resident, said, reading from a prepared statement. "For her and her office to recently dismiss all inquiries as ridiculous shows the county executive is out of touch on the issue."

County Administrator Ed Trawinski told the board that Donovan wanted the investigation into the incident to run its course before making a statement.

"She shares Governor Christie's outrage that he was misled by a member of his staff," Trawinski said.

"But the county executive doesn't run the Port Authority," he added, addressing the Democrats. "Kathe Donovan is not going to participate in the political witch hunt that all of you want to create."

On Wednesday afternoon, Christie issued a statement, saying he was "outraged," and that the "unsanctioned conduct was made without my knowledge."

Trawinski said the administration was unaware of the traffic jams until they read about the situation in The Record on Sept. 13, the same day the lanes were reopened.

That led James Tedesco, the newest Democratic freeholder, to ask why the administration didn't know about the problem sooner.

"This is just an example of why the county leadership didn't show leadership."

Tedesco noted that he spoke out in November as a freeholder candidate and asked questions of the Port Authority board, but failed to get answers.

But Donovan's chief of staff, Jeanne Baratta, said Donovan's past experience as a Port Authority commissioner taught her that there was a process to follow while an investigation is under way.

"This is the difference between politicians and public servants," Baratta said of the Democrats' criticism. "Politicians like to bloviate and that's what we witnessed today. Public servants want to do the business of the people."

Democratic Freeholder Steve Tanelli suggested that the board consider what had happened the next time they are asked to vote on a contract for the law firm that includes David Samson, the chairman of the Port Authority.

Trawinski warned that taking such an action against a qualified law firm could backfire on the freeholders.

"We would expose the taxpayers to another lawsuit," Trawinski warned Tanelli, later adding, "But freeholder, if you want to expose the county to liability. ..."

As recently as last week, the board had mulled a resolution expressing its concerns over the lane closures. But on Wednesday, events overtook that effort.

Republican Freeholder John Felice urged the board to be prudent in finding a way to express itself on the issue.